Artificial tooth.



No. 726,956; PATENTBD MAY 5, 1903.

' G. A. LOUQUE- ARTIFICIAL TOOTH. APPLICATION FILED m; 12 1002 N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented May 5, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE 'A. LOUQUE OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

ARTIFICIAL TOOTH. f

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 726,956, dated May 5', 1903.

Application filed April 12,1902.

To all whom, it 772/661] concern.

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. LOUQUE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements-in Artificial Teeth, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in artificial teeth; and it consists in the teeth for use in bridgework, the teeth or tooth crowns susceptible of use in conjunction with the bridgework and apart from the same, and the construction of bridgework, hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of an artificial incisor-tooth embodying my invention as it appears precedent to being operated on by the dentist and worked into my improved bridgework; Fig. 2, a section taken in the plane indicated by the broken line 2 2of Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a side elevation of the tooth as it appears after a layer of platinum, gold, or other suitable metal is applied to the sides and back there: of 5 Fig. 4, a'sectiontaken in the plane of the broken line 44 ofFig, 3 and illustratingthe tooth as it appearssubsequent to the appli cation of the metallic'layer, a rod of platinum or other suitable metal, andsolder thereto; Fig. 5, a horizontal section illustrating bridgework constructed of my improved teeth and in accordance with my invention, the bridge being shown as fixed between two tooth-crowns, also constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 6, a view, similar -to to Fig. 4, of a modified tooth; Fig. 7, a Vertical section of a tooth or tooth-crown embodying my invention as it appears precedent to being operated on by the dentist; Fig. 8, a similar vie-w ofsaid crown as it appears subsequent to the application of a layer of gold or other metal to' its cervical end and the arrangement of a metallic rod in its sockettube of platinum orother metal; Fig. 9, a perspective-of same, and Fig. 10 a section illustrative of the manner in which the improved crown is connected to an ordinary root-plate.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in-all of the several views of the drawings.

The incisor-tooth shown is but an example,

Serial Nor-102,665. (No model.)

and I desireit distinctly understood that my invention contemplates constructing all of the several kinds of teeth embraced in abridge in the manner hereinafter described. The said tooth (lettered A) is made of porcelain after the manner of the ordinary artificial tooth and is preferably provided with a concave or saddle-shaped cervical end a, so as to better rest on the gum, and thereby conduce to the strength of the bridgework and the comfort of the patient. It is also provided with 'a transverse apertureorbore b, which extends from one of its sides to the other and is designed to receive a tube B, of platinum or other metal, suitable to the purpose. This tube 13 is fused in the .boreb of the tooth and has its ends arranged flush with the sides of the tooth, as shown.

In practicing that portion of my invention which resides in the bridgework the dentist takes a tooth such as described and grinds and fits the same on a dental articulator in the usual manner. The tooth is ground more at the sides thanas heretofore, however, in order to afiord more room for the metal disposed at opposite sides of the tooth, as hereinafter described. The dentist then takes platinum or gold, about thirty-six gage, and burnishes the same close to the tooth at the sides and-back thereoft'. e. over all portions of the tooth excepting the front cervical end and grinding-surface. With this done holes are forced through the metal layers 0 at either side of the tooth, and in consequence said layers are lapped over the ends of the plati num tube B, as indicated by c, this in order to efiectually prevent the solder, presently described, from contacting with and injuring the porcelain. A rod D, of gold, platinum, platinoid wire, or other suitable metal is now placed in the tube B, so that it projectsbeyond the metal layers 0 at the sides of the tooth. The metal 0 is held close to theftooth by a suitable sticky'wax applied'to the metal and the projecting end portions of the rod-D, and the tooth is invested in plaster. Then when the plaster is set the wax is removed, borax or any other suitable flux is applied to the rod D, the metal layers 0, and the inte rior of the tube B, the plaster in which the tooth is invested is rendered very hot by any suitable means, and solder is applied to the opposite'sides of the metal-covered tooth, so as to cover the projecting portions of rod D,

. as indicated by E E. The plaster is made hot precedent to the application of the solder, as stated, in order to enable the solder to freely flow on the metal layers 0 and rod D and in the tube B.

Artificial teeth A A, equipped as described, are replaced on the articulator and adjusted for the bridge to be produced and are then invested in plaster and soldered together, as shown in Fig. 5. Either before or after the teeth are soldered together the portions of metal 0 at the backs thereof are preferably removed, this in order to render the bridge smooth at the back and clear of all metal and give to the bridge a more natural appearance. It will also be observed that when the back portion of metal 0 is removed from each tooth all of the metal embodied in the bridge is either contained in the teeth or interposed between the meeting sides thereof, and hence is not exposed to view or liable to wear or deteriorate. Notwithstanding the fact that the metal connecting the teeth is not exposed, it will be observed that by virtue of the wires or rods D extending through the teeth and having their ends disposed in the interposed metal or solder the teeth are connected in an exceedingly strong and durable manner; also, that by virtue of the metal layers 0 and solder E of either side of each tooth the teeth are practically boxed in and reinforced and liability of them breaking in use is reduced to a minimum.

The bridge constructed in the manner described may be soldered or otherwise connected to abutments of different kinds in the mouth-such, for instance, as my improved tooth-crowns F (shown in Figs. 7 to 10'of the drawings;) also a single tooth A, equipped as described, may when desired be readily and strongly secured between two of the crowns F or between any other two abutments.

The modified tooth A (shown in Fig. 6) is similar to the tooth A, with the exception that it has two transverse apertures b, which extend from intermediate points in its width to its sides, and two platinum tubes B and two platinum rods D in said tubes.

The tooth or tooth-crown F, Figs. 7 to 10, is of porcelain and has a central aperture 12 in its cervical end or side, occupied by a tube B which is fused in said aperture when the crown is manufactured. Said crown also has its cervical end or upper side inclined downwardly from the labial or buckle edge to the lingual edge, this to afford a V-shaped space for solder, Fig. 10, at the back of the crown for connecting the crown to the root-plate Gr. Precedent to connecting the crown F and plate G the crown is ground and fitted to the plate in an articulator, after which a layer 0 of platinum or gold, about twenty-four karat and thirty-sixgage,is burnished on the cervical end side of the crown and caused to lap over the upright sides and back of the same, as indicated by d and best shown in Fig. 9. A hole is then formed in the layer C coincident with the tube B and the said layer is caused to lap over the end of the tube, as indicated by c, in,order to preclude the solder coming in contact with and injuring the porcelain. With this done a rod D, of platinum, is placed in tube 13"", the tooth is inverted point down in plaster, and a small amount of solder E is poured in the tube B and on the rod D and metal layer C", so as to strongly connect the tube, rod, and metal layer together and to the porcelain, and thereby contribute greatly to the strength and durability of the tooth as a whole. The crown produced as described is susceptible of being readily connected by solder H. to a root-plate G, secured on the natural root in the mouth of a patient, is adapted to be readily adjusted, and having great body is strong and. durable and not liable to break. It will also be observed that all of the metal utilized in the connection of the crown to the root-plate G is practically covered, and hence is not liable to deteriorate in practice. When myimproved tooth-crown is to be used as an abutment for the improved bridge, I prefer to extend the flange or overlapping portion 61 of the metal layer 0' down one or both upright sides and the back of the crown, this to afford a large metal surface for soldering the bridge to the crown.

I have entered into a detailed description of the construction and relative arrangement of parts embraced in the present and preferred embodiments of my invention in order to impart a full, clear, and exact understanding of the same. I do not desire, however, to be understood as confining myself to such specific construction and arrangement of parts, as such changes or modifications may be made in practice as fairly fall within the scope of my claims.

When desirable, two or more tubes B may be arranged in each side of teeth designed for use in my improved bridgework.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. An artificial tooth of porcelain or the like having an aperture, a tube of metal secured in said aperture, and a layer of metal arranged on the tooth, around the tube so as to leave the outer end of the tube open, and a lap-joint between the said tube and the layer.

2.-An artificial tooth of porcelain or the like having an aperture, a tube of metal socured in said aperture, and a layer of metal arranged on the tooth, and having an aperture coincident with the tube, and also having a portion overlapping the end of and extending into the tube.

3. An artificial tooth of'porcelain or the like having an aperture, a tube of metal secured in said aperture, a layer of metal arranged on the tooth, around the tube; a lapjoint between the said tube and the layer, and solder connecting the layer of metal and the tube.

4. An artificial tooth of porcelain or the like having an aperture, a metallic tube secured in said aperture, a layer of metal arranged on the tooth around the tube, a lapjoint between said tube and metal layer, a metal rod resting in the tube, and solder connecting the interior of the tube, the metal layer and the metal rod.

5. An artificial tooth of porcelain or the like having an aperture, a metallic tube secured in said aperture, a layer of metal arranged on the tooth, a metal rod resting in the tube, and solder connecting the interior of the tube, the metal layer and the rod.

6. An artificial tooth of porcelain or the like having an aperture, a metallic tube secured in said aperture, a layer of metal arranged on the tooth, a metal rod resting in the tube and extending through and beyond the metal layer, and solder connecting the tube, layer and rod.

7. An artificial tooth of porcelain or the like having an aperture extending inwardly from the proximal side thereof, a metallic tube secured in said aperture, a layer of metal arranged on the side of the tooth around the tube, a lap-joint between said tube and layer, a metallic rod disposed in the tube and extending beyond the metal-covered side of the tooth, and solder connecting the tube, layer and rod, and arranged on the outer side of the layer.

8. In a dental bridge, artificial teeth having apertures in their adjacent sides, metal tubes secured in said apertures, metal rods arranged in the tubes and projecting beyond the sides of the teeth, metal layers arranged on said sides of the teeth around the extended portions of the rods, and solder connecting the tube, rod and layer of each tooth together, and also connecting the teeth.

9. In a dental bridge, artificial teeth of porcelain or other suitable material having apertures in their adjacent sides, metallic tubes secured in said apertures, metal layers arranged on the sides of the teeth around the tubes, lap-joints between said layers and the ends of the tubes, metal rods arranged in the tubes and projecting beyond the metal-covered sides of the teeth, and solder connecting the tube, layer and rod of each tooth together, and also connecting the teeth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE A. LOUQUE.

Witnesses:

B. INGLEHAM, M. A. GLASER. 

